It's the Flock, what else can you say?
by mind the music
Summary: This is a collection of oneshots starting with Fang's POV when Max cuts herself. Please R&R. Constuctive critism encouraged. FAX!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: If I was the great JP would I be writing a **_**fan**_**fiction? No.**

"See you at the beach," she muttered in my direction. And then she took off. None of us would be able to catch up with her. God, she was amazing.

"What's up with Max?" Nudge asked.

"Nothing." I told her. "She just has a really bad headache."

"Is she mad at us?"The question came from Gazzy.

This time Angel answered for me, "No, she just needs to be alone." Gazzy nodded his head but he still looked worried. And to be honest I was worried too. This wasn't Max. I mean, it's not like any of us are normal but as far as normal goes for bird-kids Max just wasn't acting it.

The flight to the beach seemed pretty tense. Nudge tried to release some of the tension by blabbering on about some mindless reality show she'd seen at Anne's house. It didn't really help.

We were just coming up on the beach when my raptor vision caught something. Max kneeling in the sand using some sharp object to slice at her wrist. My mouth fell open in horror and heard some shocked gasps from behind me. I didn't even have time to think. I landed and skidded to a stop then ran over to a blood covered Max.

I dropped total in the sand and in three seconds flat I was panting over her shouting, "What the hell are you doing?" I grabbed her wrist and smacked her hand, making her drop the sharp object, which turned out to be a seashell . "Are you _crazy?_"

Then the rest of the flock came up behind me. I could hear Gazzy explaining the scene to Iggy. He sounded like he was about to cry. My stomach twisted painfully. _Was Max trying to kill herself?!_

"Want the chip out," she said brokenly. She looked ragged like all these years of torment had all come down on the at once. She looked down and didn't say another word.

"Look where your cutting!" I snapped. "You're going to bleed to death you _idiot!"_ I was furious and shocked and, if I was being completely honest with myself, a little scared. I threw her down and a towel and some antiseptic out of my backpack. I dumped the antiseptic in to the cut and Max winced.

Nudge kneeled down next to Max. "Max, what were you doing?" She sounded just like Gazzy had.

I looked at Max. "I wanted the chip out." she whispered.

I started bandaging her arm. "Well forget it!" I snapped angrily. "The chip stays in. You don't get off that easy! _You _die when _we_ die!" We all needed Max.

My face was probably hard and pale with anger. _How could she do this?_ She looked up at me and managed out," I'm sorry." then she burst into tears.

My anger started to fade and was replaced with fear. yes the great emotionless Fang was afraid. The one person I actually depended on (not that I was about to admit that to anyone) had hit rock bottom.

I wrapped my arm my arms around her and gently pressed her head into my shoulder. Right now the only thing that mattered to me was comforting Max. She was finally breaking down from all the stress and I couldn't blame her. Sometimes I wondered if Max had it worse than the rest of us. She was the leader and she felt it was her job to keep not only her own life but five other lives intact. Physically and emotionally. I mean when something went terribly wrong I just pretended I didn't feel . Period. But Max had to pretend she felt _differently._ That's too much for anyone. Even the great Maximum Ride cannot and should not have to carry a weight so heavy on her shoulders.

Max pulled her wings in as the tentative hands of our family gently patted her back. "Shh shh" Nudge whispered.

"It's okay Max." Iggy soothed try to sound sure but only sounding like he was about to throw up. "Everything's okay."

Max nodded into my shoulder though I'm sure she didn't buy it.

I didn't say anything. I didn't feel the need too because sometimes I think Max really appreciates my "actions speak louder than words" attitude. So I just sat there and held her.


	2. Questions

**Disclaimer: I own nothing recognizable. **

**Important Message!**

**Dear readers,**

**I feel like working on a bunch of random one shots for MR. This was originally just one random one shot but I'm prepared to make it more. Sooo if there is a specific part in any of the books that you want me to do a different Pov in than it is in the books just send me the page numbers for it and the book that it's from.(Ex: pg. 100-105 MR3 Nudges POV) It's up to you guys what I write about so please review . Also this fanfiction goes out to ****Asidill****, the first person to ever put one of my stories as a favorite.**

**-Emily**

**This is what would've happened if Nudge had inquired about Max and Fangs relationship.**

"Hey Max?" I heard Nudge come up behind me.

I'd been out flying trying to clear my head. I really wanted to be alone and sort things through. Not that I didn't like hanging out with Nudge it's just that I really didn't need her chatter when I really needed to think straight. Then again it might be nice. A distraction from what I'm thinking about. And that would be, you guessed it, Fang. As if my life weren't hard enough what with being a bird kid.

"Yeah?" I readied myself for whatever avalanche of words was coming... Nothing! I turned around to Nudge with hesitant look on her face. This could not be good. I dove down and landed on the edge of some kind of cliff. Then I turned around and stared at Nudge who had followed my action and sat down next to me.

She fidgeted uncomfortably.

Something had to be seriously wrong.

I was just about to asked her what was going on when she finally mumbled, "Do you... ya know...like... Fang?" She looked up timidly.

I just stared at her mouth agape, eyes popping out of my head. My face probably resembled that of a deranged fish.

"Because that's okay if you do." she started, regaining her ability to talk nonstop. " Everybody'd be fine with it. In fact were all kinda rooting for it. you guys would make such a cute couple! I mean Iggy was the first one to suggest it and then Angel said you guys think about each other a lot. Plus Gazzy said it would make sense so I just kinda figured that you liked him. And I think he likes you too 'cause Angel says that sometimes he thinks about how pretty you are which is really sweet if you ask me-

I clapped my hand over her mouth then slowly moved it. "Nudge, sweetie I don't think I know what you're talking about.

"Angel said you'd say that." I sighed. "Wait!" she shouted. "That means you like him, doesn't? It does! _Ohmigod Ohmigod Ohmigod!_ _You_ like _Fang_!

"Nudge!" I grabbed her arm." I. Do. Not. Like. Fang."

"Sure you don't, Max." She winked at me. She _winked_ at me? Then she wrenched out of my grip and flew off, laughing like a maniac the whole way,

This girl was going to kill me.


	3. Iggy's POV

**Disclaimer: If any one of you really think that I'm JP you should go back to the 1st grade.**

**Dear readers,**

**Okay so in the last chapter I asked for suggestions for one shots and I got one. So this is to you ****trjlf;adksjfdskl;fkjl;sad;fksd ****For the great idea of Iggy's POV when Max cuts herself. I hope you enjoy this!**

"See you at the beach," she muttered in Fangs direction. And then she took off going at least 200 miles per hour as far as I could tell. And I could tell a lot with my hearing. It was better than anyone of my family members was.

"What's up with Max?" Nudge asked.

"Nothing."Nothing Fang muttered. "She just has a really bad headache."

"Is she mad at us?"The question came from Gazzy.

This time Angel answered, "No, she just needs to be alone." I heard Gazzy nod his head but I was sure he was still worried. I know I was and I'm pretty sure me and Gazzy weren't the only ones worried about Max's strange behavior.

The flight to the beach seemed pretty tense. Nudge annoyingly blathered on about some stupid show called Americas Next Top Model. It didn't really help ease the tension. we all knew none of us could really relax until we were sure Max was okay.

I was pretty sure that we were close to the beach when I heard the flock entire flock (minus Fang and Max) gasp in horror. I heard Fang swoop down, skid to a stop, and run.

What was going on?! I followed the actions of my family through sound. "What's happening?" I shouted. No answer, just the sound of running footsteps and labored breathing.

I felt Gazzy grab my wrist and start dragging me forward. "Come on Iggy!" he panted, tugging my arm harder.

"Tell me what's happening!" I demanded. why was everyone freaking out? I didn't hear any erasers. Then it hit me. The smell of blood. Something must be wrong with Max.

"Max cut her wrist." Gazzy shouted. I could've thrown up right then. I wanted to. Max? The infallible, always stable, never let 'em get you down Max? I took off running to the area where heard voices, mostly Fang's.

"What the hell are you doing?" I heard in smack max, and the sound of something small falling onto the sand. "Are you crazy?"

"Describe it," I half whispered to Gazzy. In some ways I wished he hadn't heard me so I wouldn't have to know what the horrible scene playing out right before my non-seeing eyes. But there was also morbid curiosity to factor in, the same curiosity that made me wonder how much c4 it took to blow up an Eraser.

I heard Gazzy take in a deep ragged breath while Fang and Max continued their nearly one-way (Max wasn't really talking much) conversation. "Max tried to cut the chip in her wrist out but didn't realize where she was cutting." He was obviously choking back sobs. "So now she's kneeling in the sand with a big hole in her arm, covered with blood."

I was one of the older kids so it was my unspoken duties to stay strong at times like these but I just wanted to cry. Hard. Max was the one person in the flock that I could always turn to for cool calm and collected answers. But she cracked. And I wasn't stupid, I had seen this coming. We all had. We all knew that eventually all of Max's stress would catch up with her.

I smelled antiseptic and heard crying. I felt my brotherly instincts take over and they told me to comfort the person who had always comforted me. I walked closer to the sound of Max's tears and kneeled down next to her. Something wet seeped through the knees of my jeans. Blood. The urge to vomit grew even stronger. I heard Max pull her wings in so I tentatively reached out my hand to rub her back.

My hand accidently grazed Fang's arm. He was holding her. Oh god. It hurt me so much to see Max like this. I loved her, she was my sister. But Fang… Fang loved Max. And not in a brother sister way.

"It's okay Max." I was trying to sound calm but my excellent hearing told me I sounded otherwise. "Everything's okay."

At least I hope so.


	4. Here's the Deal

**IMPORTANT**

**Here is the deal. I have a total of ten reviews right now and I am ecstatic. So I'll make you a deal. From this time to 12:00 7-25-09 every review I get will mean 100 words on the next chapter (not meaning the chapters I may post in between this time.) So let's say from now to 12 I get 10 reviews I will post a chapter after 12 o clock with 1000 words. Please review. This is a personal challenge and something that may help build my self-esteem. (Wow! I sound desperate it's amazing! I didn't know it was possible for me to sound so pathetic! Oh well!)**

_**1 review = 100 words.**_


	5. Arm Wrestling

**Oh my goodness guys! I'm up to my ears in reviews! Y'all are the bomb! Also I have a poll up on my profile check it out! Okay this chapter goes out to……..Kacey B., my first ever reviewer! (ps: refer to important message on chap. 2!)**

**Arm wrestling!**

**Disclaimer: **

**Me: Do I own Maximum Ride?**

**JP: No.**

**Me: Crap.**

**Max's POV**

"Max," Gazzy whined, "I'm bored.

I sighed. I'd been getting that all day from everyone but Fang. "Then go blow something up with Iggy." I told him. I mean really, we were out in the middle of _nowhere. _What important thing could they explode? A cactus?

"But it's raining" he complained. And boy was it ever. I looked outside the cave opening to see that it had started rain even harder if that was even possible.

"Then it'll be a challenge won't it then?" I remarked. Gazzy threw me a withering look. I wasn't usually this irritable but I hadn't been able to fly all day and it was leaving me a little...You know how I get. I could go outside I just couldn't go flying but I had no interest in getting totally soaked. So I was left with no option but to sit in this not so spacious hole in the side of a mountain with a bunch of bored bird kids. There was literally nothing to do. Fang couldn't even blog because the way the storm messed with wireless connection.

"We could play Eye Spy." Nudge suggested. Iggy huffed, I just rolled my eyes. Nudge looked around the cave for something to spy. "Okay, let's seeee...um...I spy with my little eye something reddish-brown."

I sat up."A rock," I sighed. Nudge didn't answer. I mean seriously! What else was there? A weed or two in the corner, my shirt, and Fang's laptop? Great game.

I laid back down back up and spread out my wings as much as I could. It wasn't much. It was for a few minutes except for the accept for the sound of rain pounding on the rock and the occasional sigh of boredom from one of the younger kids. I turned my head to where Fang was supposed to be. I didn't see him but I knew he was there, probably wondering why I was staring at him. Personally so was I.

"That's it!" Gazzy shouted. He sat straight up with all too eager look on his face. He started laughing hysterically.

"What's it?" I asked tentatively, he was starting to freak me out. Seriously.

"Arm wrestling!" he shouted. "We should all play arm wrestling!"

I thought about this for a moment. As long as it didn't get too out of hand it would be kinda fun. "Okay. Older kids verses older kids younger kids verses younger kids." Every one smiled eagerly, even Fang.

**Gazzy's POV**

Arm wrestling. Fantastic!

"Nudge," I called. "Arm wrestle me."

She smiled mischievously. "Okay. But I'm gonna kick your butt."

"Yeah right." I said.

We walked over to a big rock in the back of the cave with a flat top. It was perfect. We each set are elbows on the rock and grabbed hands. The rest of the flock gathered around us to see what would happen. "One...Two..._Three! _Max yelled.

We both put all of our strength in at once, pushing against each other's hands like our lives depended on it. She was stronger than I had thought but there was no _way _I was going to lose to a _girl _for crying out loud. I ground my teeth together. Nudge looked like she was going to explode and for once she quiet accept for the occasional grunt of frustration. Suddenly Nudge flexed and I went down an inch. I gave her my nastiest glare and continued to push. About a minute later my arm was really starting to hurt, in fact it was throbbing but I couldn't let Nudge know that. I gave it one last good forceful push then I slammed Nudge's hand down on the rock with a victorious cry.

**Angel's POV**

I had called to play winner so here I was arm wrestling with my brother.

It took a bit of convincing (thankfully no mind control) to get Max to let me play but finally I was allowed. Gazzy set his elbow on the rock and so did I. I grabbed his arm and waited for the signal to go. "One...Two......"- I gave Max a withering look for her hesitation. _I'll be fine. _I sent to her. "_Three?_"

And we were off. I began to lose immediately but I had something up my sleeve. I focused my mind and looked Gazzy straight in the eyes. _Gazzy. _His went a little unfocused and his hand stopped pushing quite so hard. It was working. _Gazzy, I want you to stop pushing. Let me win._ Gazzy all of the sudden stopped trying and I slammed his hand down. "Yes!" I cried, jumping up and down. Max, Fang, Iggy, and Nudge all looked super confused.

Gazzy looked at me like I had two heads. "What the...." he mumbled. "Hey!" he shouted, his glazed look replaced with one of outrage. "You used mind control on me!"

"Angel!" Max gasped. I looked up at her, feigning innocence. "Angel I can't believe you would do that! To one of the flock for God's sake."

Then I started to fell kinda bad, but still... After being seriously talked to by Max about abusing my mind control powers it was decided that Gazzy had won by default due to my "cheating." It was still fun though.

**Iggy's POV**

Gazzy tugged me over to the rock we'd all been arm wrestling on. He placed my hands on it and I began to feel it over. It was about a foot tall with a flat surface perfect for what we were using it for. It felt rough, grainy, and redish-brown. I also felt that it had lines of yellow on it. A sedimentary rock no doubt. I kneeled on the ground and set my arm in the correct position. Max grabbed my hand. Fang counted us off, "One...Two..._Three!" _

Max and I started arm wrestling. Geez Max was strong! It's not like I had expected her to be weak but _whoa_! I put my back into it. Max may be the leader but that's no reason for it to be acceptable for me to lose to her. I tightened my grip hoping that would catch her off guard and make her falter but of course it didn't. Instead she tightened her grip in response, only making my hand _and_ my arm hurt like crazy. I gave it one last shove and then the muscles in my arm just gave out.

"Yes!" She cheered.

"Whoo hoo Max. You beat the blind kid." I said sharply.

"Iggy, being blind does not affect your strength. Nice try though." I wasn't sure if she was referring to my arm wrestling or my excuse.

**Max's POV**

It was Fang and I's turn because he had called to play winner. But he might as well just give up now, I was going to win no matter what.

"Ready to lose Max?" he teased.

I snorted. "Over my dead body."

We walked over to the "wrestling rock" as Gazzy had nick-named it and got ready."One...Two..." As we waited for our cue to fight I whispered "you're going down." "_Three."_

He was strong but I had prepared for that. _Never underestimate your opponent. _Thank you Voice, but last time I checked I hadn't ordered a fortune cookie. No response. Typical. I fought harder, there was no way I was going to lose to the guy I li- _Whoa! Back up! That did not just happen_. I shook my head, clearing my mind of the thought. My arm was starting to get tired but I was _not_ cracking before Fang. He showed no signs of quitting any time soon but, he was good at hiding stuff like that. I could tell he was putting a lot of effort into this ;however, I was putting more. About five minutes later I was still going strong when Fang did something totally unexpected. He looked into my eyes. Right into them! And then I lost it, all the muscles in my arm turned to water and he slammed my hand down.

Gazzy and Iggy cheered while Nudge just looked confused and Angel snickered quietly. Fang just stood there smiling hugely which, for him, was the equivalent of jumping up and down like someone just let out of a mental institution. I wanted to yell at him so bad! But what could I say! _Dangit Fang! Don't you know you're not supposed to look me in the eyes?! It makes me go all weak and girly. _Uh... no. I did not see that happening anytime in the near future... or distant future... or ever for that matter. Her looked over at me smugly, had he done that one on purpose? Not the look at me smugly thing the look me in the eyes and make me lose thing. Had that been his whole plan?

"Yep!" said a little voice from behind me.

I turned around and saw Angel smiling brightly at me. "What?" I asked.

"The answer to the question you were thinking is yes." she chirped. Then she ran away laughing like the little devil she was.

Fang had planned that? He had actually _planned that? _He was solo dead! I would get him back. I don't know how but I would. Maybe I would break that stupid computer of his, maybe-

"Max?" I heard no one other than the jerk himself say from behind me. I turned around intending to give him a nice punch in the gut when he kissed me. Oh. My. God.

**There you have it. Thank you guys so much for all the awesome reviews! I only expected about five or six but I got six**_**teen**_**. I feel so incredibly honored. You all have made this my best personal challenge for anything yet! To tell the truth, when I saw how many reviews I had gotten I honestly didn't think I could do it. But after reading them all I just felt this incredible encouragement to just keep writing. Thank you. (p.s. there is a pole on my blog. Check it out! Also I apologize for any errors. p.s. p.s. 10 reviews would be nice.) **

**- Emily**

**Word Count: ( ANs and all) 1,762 **


	6. Okay With That

**Hey guys, I've been requested to do more Fax continuing on the last chapter. So, if you haven't read **_**Arm Wrestling **_**don't read this. I'm sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry it took me so long to update. I had the most awful writers block. I hope you enjoy this chapter full of Faxness. BTW this **_**NOT**_** turning into a story I'm just making last chapter a two-shot.**

**Disclaimer: I own... some hairspray, a roll of duct tape, and sticky notes. No Maximum Ride.**

_Max?" I heard no one other than the jerk himself say from behind me. I turned around intending to give him a nice punch in the gut when he kissed me. Oh. My. God._

**Fang's POV**

It was pretty obvious that I'd taken Max by surprise with the kiss but to be totally honest I wasn't really expecting to do that either. Which sounds pretty stupid considering that I'm the one who kissed her and not the other way around.

**Max's POV**

I just stared at Fang. He had not just done what I thought he had just done. In fact _I _had not done what I thought I had just done. Which is Kiss Fang back. Like _I, _Maximum Ride, would be into all that stupid mushy romance stuff. _Please._ I internally rolled my eyes.

But before I could process another thought Fang kissed me again. My brain shrunk to the size of a peanut. Um... okaaaay... so maybe Maximum Ride was into all off that mushy romance stuff. Not that she - I - would ever say that out loud.

"I knew it!" Nudge squealed joyfully from behind me. I glared at her.

"I saw this coming." Iggy bragged, his features smug.

"Oh, did you." I said, making sure my voice was layered thick with sarcasm. Iggy glared at me and I glared right back but unfortunately it was totally lost on him.

"Hey!" Gazzy shouted. "It stopped raining!" I looked outside, sure enough it had.

"True love conquers all," Nudge crooned. She threw a pointed glance at Fang and me.

When had I walked into a Hollywood movie? Like me and Fang kissing had anything to do with this. Besides, it wasn't like the sky had totally cleared up and the sun came out and all the birds had started singing, it just wasn't pouring buckets anymore. The sky was still gray-ish and dull.

I turned back to Fang. "We need to talk." I said stiffly. I walked out the cave opening knowing he would follow. I opened my wings and took off with Fang close behind.

We landed on the top of a boulder and sat down. I quickly snapped my head around and looked him straight in the eye. "Why the heck did you do that." My voice was sharp.

"Do what?" he asked innocently.

"Kiss me." I snapped. I was not playing games.

"Okay." Then he did.

I punched him in the arm. Hard. That was not what I meant!

His features hardened. "You didn't seem to care earlier." Ouch.

"As a matter of fact I did." I lied. "And Angel told me about your little plan for arm wrestling so don't try to play innocent or hurt with me 'cause I'm not buying that crap."

"Well if you know all about it then you should've figured out that it wouldn't have worked if you didn't like me."

I didn't say anything, of course he was right. NO! He was wrong! He _had_ to be, I didn't have time for having feelings like that for someone, much less a full blown relationship. Now Fang was giving me that _look! _The one that say "I'm right you know it." Now I wanted to say yes! Now I wanted to kill him! Now I just gave up and kissed him. I was so messed up. And I'm okay with that.

**I do not feel like this was my best chapter and I'm kinda feeling not so sure about my work so review if you want me to continue this collection of one shots. I'm really sorry about the wait but again I wasn't feeling so sure. Thank you though to all of you who read this giving me a reason to continue with this. Oh Man! I sound emo! BTW I only asked for 10 reviews last chapter I got 12 thank you so much!**

**- Emily**


	7. Wreck Of The Day

**Okay so I think I'm over my writer block! Yes! So I was watching ****Shark Week**** on ****Discovery**** (Watch it. It's seriously amazing stuff.) and I got an idea. So I thought 'okay I'll write this as a fanfiction'. I actually got two ideas but they are basically the same thing just under different circumstances so I don't know if I'll write it. Also this chapter goes to ****Rosy **** thank you for your last very weird review. I loved it. This is sad but I think it makes up for the crappiness of the last chapter I wrote. Hope you enjoy... sort of mean, I hope this kind of stuff doesn't make you giddy. Sure I 'm the type of girl who laughs at a funeral but, I don't think anything is amusing I just laugh. You have to be a Laughs-At-A-Funeral girl or boy to understand. Review me if you know what I mean. There's strength in numbers people. Maybe we could all start a club of people with a really twisted sense of humor. Oh well, I'm just babbling. Read and **_**Review. **_**Please? Pretty please? Beautiful please? Supermodel Gorgeous Please? Thinks to self, **_**Geez Em, how much sugar did ya put on your cereal?**_

__**- Emily**

**Set after MR5**

**Disclaimer: Still no.**

**Max's POV**

I was walking down the streets by myself just enjoying my time to myself when it happened.

You see, I had just wanted to take a walk through the main streets of town, just to look around. I wasn't trying to get away so I could think or trying to avoid some fight with one of the flock members or my Mom ,who we were all currently living with, or something equally depressing. I was just milling around. Then I heard it. _Crash!_

The sound was deafening. I heard metal twisting, people yelling, horns honking, glass breaking, and the most horrific sound of them all... The sound of a little boy screaming for his life as two cars smashed into each other, one car ramming its front at 40 mph into the back left of a pt cruiser, right where that little boy was sitting.

I was fast, but not fast enough. I made it to the scene across the street just in time to hear citizens around me yell that the little boy was stuck and the mother was passed out.

I pushed a man in his mid-40's out of my way and sprinted to the car door that had been twisted and mangled so badly that it was going to take all the strength I had to pry it open .

I ignored the protests from behind me demanding that I get back and let someone older and male take over. No specific male just one that wasn't a girl. I Had seen more blood and gore than any one of these "older and more experienced men" put together will or have ever seen.

I wrapped both hand around the handle and wrenched the door open. Inside lay a boy about Angel's age with curly red hair only half conscious. I picked him up in my harm them sat down in to middle of the road and held him. I was vaguely aware of some people pulling the totally unconscious mother out of the car as well. But not really. Because my focus was completely on the little boy laying limply across my lap.

I looked at his necklace, it was some sort of dog-tag. Like the type you get at some tacky souvenir shop. Even covered in blood from the cuts on his arms and mid-section I could read the name. Dustin. The name meant fighter. Nudge, Angel, and I had looked up the meanings of random names when we were bored once because none of us had what was considered a real name but me. This was one of the names we had looked up, it was our favorite.

"It hurts," he cried. His face was pained.

"Shh shh. I know," I tried to sooth him.

I finally looked at his stomach, a large shard of glass was lodged in him, right beneath his belly button. With the adrenaline still pumping through my veins I had time to quickly go over this in my mind why it didn't make sense.

First of all the shard seemed to have a sort of pattern on it. Second of all it was not the right shape for it to have come from the car window or windshield. Those were made out of safety glass which shattered into safer circular chunks rather than sharp triangular shards. I looked into the car from where I was sitting and saw many other pieces like the one stuck in Dustin littering the seat and floor. About them I also saw a few a roses a puddle of water and a card laying open in the street. I must have fallen out when I opened the door. In obviously kid's hand writing it read:

_Happy Birthday Aunt Dana!_

Then it hit me. No! I will never use that phrase again!

I got it then. There was probably a vase of roses for Aunt Dana's birthday present that Dustin was holding so the water didn't spill out. When the car crashed the vase must have broken and a piece must have gotten shoved into his stomach.

As I looked at him again it became clear to me that all the boys wounds were easily treatable , despite the fact that the car ran right in to him, and not all that serious. All but one. I f the boy had not been holding the vase he would be fine, but he had been, and the cut from the glass was fatal.

Just as I thought it Dustin looked up at me with green eyes the color of celery, whimpered, and slipped away. No. I'd seen this looked before, a few times in movies but Hollywood could never capture the ... the ...the emptiness. The vacancy of life in the persons eyes as their soul drifts away.

He had held true to his name. Though he hadn't lived long he had lived longer than I expected. Dustin the fighter.

I was suddenly aware of a man standing over me. I looked up at him, nodded solemnly, Then let him lift Dustin's body out of my arms and into a body bag. I stood and dropped my head. On the ground I saw something that caught my eye. Dustin's necklace.

I know I shouldn't have but I picked it up and put in my pocket. I'd had five minutes with him but I felt he'd left a mark on me and I needed something to remember him by. Not that I would ever forget what happened.

When I got home I went through with the long and painful task of explaining why I was crying and covered in blood.

Nudge for once, was quiet, Angel was clearly upset, Gazzy looked like he might cry, Iggy seemed stunned and Fang just held me and let me sob into his shoulder. A boy had died in my arms to day and his necklace felt as though it weighed fifty pounds in my pocket.

**That was incredibly depressing but a nice spring back from a long writers block if I do say so myself. Yes, Dustin does really mean fighter and I hope you thought this was good enough to make up for last chapters horrible writing. Read and Review please.**

**-Emily**


	8. Pancakes Anyone?

**MPOV**

Bright light still managed to filter through my tightly closed blinds and shine directly on my face. I sighed and heaved myself out of bed. The clock said it was about 8 am as stumbled tiredly out of my room.

I went straight to the kitchen for something to drink. No one else was up so I had to be quiet. I got some orange juice out of the fridge and almost drank it out of the carton before I remembered that I wasn't allowed to do that now that we were living in a real house now.

As usual I was hungry so went in search of some cereal, which was something I could actually make. None of us really had any experience with cooking, 'cept Iggy, but I was to hungry to wait for him to get up.

But when I opened the pantry there was no cereal just some of that stupid Bisquick pancake stuff and microwave raviolis. Grrr. I didn't know how to make either of these. I could try to make pancakes but then God only knows what could happen or, I could try and make microwave raviolis but after what happened last time I tried t make the stuff... Pancakes it is!

I grabbed the boxed and flipped it over to the back.

2 cups Original Bisquick mix 1 cup milk 2 eggs

**STIR **ingredients until blended

**POUR **slightly less than 1/4 cupfuls onto hot greased griddle

**COOK **until edges are dry. Turn; until golden.

14 pancakes

Fourteen pancakes? That's it? I decided to double the serving.

I pulled out the countertop griddle that Mom uses to cook us breakfast and plugged it in. It didn't say what temperature to cook them on but what about...475? That sounded about right. I turned the temperature dial up. Too bad Ella and Mom were at school and work. they were going to miss me cooking for the first time in over a year and a half.

It said to stir the ingredients until blended so I grabbed a bowl down from one of the cabinets and got out the stuff. Eggs...milk... pancake mix...Now what? I looked into the bowl. Four white eggs sat on top of an off-white colored mountain of gak. Something about it looked off. Oh well. I said stir but, with what? A whisk, a wooden spoon, a spatula?

I went with a spatula because I figured it would help break up the eggs best. I stabbed at the mixture in the bowl until you could only see a mushy light brown mound with occasional shards of eggshell stick out. Good.

I poured small 1/4 of a cup circles onto the griddle and smiled. I had done it. I, Maximum Ride, had made pancakes!

Just then that hair on the back of my neck stood up. Gooseflesh covered my arms and I whirled around to see Fang, annoyingly silent as ever, walking into the kitchen. Suddenly he looked up at me and his eyes went wide.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

I smiled brightly, thrilled to have caught Fang by surprise. "Cooking."

I'm pretty sure I saw fang's jaw hit the floor. he narrowed his eyes suspiciously before walking towards me and my creations.

He looked down at the pancakes and furrowed his eyebrows.

"What?" I said defensively.

"What's that?" asked Fang, pointing to a few pieces of eggshell in some pancakes.

"Eggshell."

All of the sudden Fang looked like he was going to explode. He did. With laughter.

I smacked his arm, "What?"

"You...you...you..." he gasped still laughing.

Fang's laughter flooded me with rage but, his stupid all too rare smile made my knees week.

Fang finally managed to stop laughing. "You're supposed to crack the eggshell in half and pour what inside into the bowl, then throw the eggshell away."

"Oh." I said, then, get this, I blushed.

Fang suppressed more laughter and I suppressed the urge to hit him. He looked over at the pancakes again and turned the griddle off. "Five hundred degrees?" he asked raising an eyebrow. "You're supposed to cook pancakes at ,like, three hundred degrees."

I ground my teeth together and snatched up the spatula. I shoved it under the edge of a black pancake and heaved. Nothing. Again!...nothing.

"You didn't grease it did you?" Fang remarked.

I didn't answer. He turned and smiled at me. Cue weak knees.

"Max you are so..."

"What?" I asked tersely, that was apparently my word of the day.

He grabbed my face in his hands, "Max." he supplied and kissed me. Wow. He pulled away and chuckled."How about we just have cereal."

"There's no -"

Fang reached into the lower cabinet next to the dishwasher and pulled out a box of Cheerios.

"Are you serious?"

**Hi guys I'm sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry! I just don't know what happened! One day I was all yay lets write then...(shrugs shoulders). I hope you guys like this chapter I'm reposting it because I found an error that made me so _upset!_ I had put that it was Fang's POV not Max's. Also I really need some encouragement to get off my lazy butt and write so reviews would do oodles of good! I haven't posted in forever so I'm only asking for 6. Next chapter should be out soon I hope. Lots of love. **

**Next, I would like to repeat a message I posted on Chapter Two Questions. The original reason I posted this thing was for it to be a one shot but as you all know I decided to make it a collection of one shots. I did this so people could send me requests to write pieces of the books (all but The Angel Experiment because I don't own that one.) in other Characters POV's. Like this: book title, pages, preferred POV-the final Warning, 106-109, Fangs POV! So really send in those requests I'm happy to write them! -Emily**


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